Machine for making nuts



A. WOLFRAM.

MACHINE FOR MAKING NUTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1920.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. WOLFRAM.

MAVCHINEVFOR MAKING NUTS. APPLICATION HLED MAY 28. 1920.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

A. WOLFRAM.

MACHINE FOR MAKING NUTS.

APPLICATION men MAY 28. 1920.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. WOLFRAM.

MACHINE FOR MAKING NUTS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1920.

1,393,063.. Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 A. WOLFRAM.

MACHINE FOR MAKING NUTS. APPLICATIONQHLED MAYZB. 1920.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 FIG, 15

FlG. 16

INVENTOR UNITED ,STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE.

annnaw warm, or 12012110111, rrmnsnvmn.

ma'crinm ron maxme nurs.

Toallwhm'it myco'rwem:

Be it known that I, ANDREW.WOLFRAM, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Dormont, in the county ofAllegheny a series'of dies, fourseparate sets of dies being shown in the machine described below,together with a punch-head reciprocating toward and from the bed andcarrying a series of punches cooperating with the several dies. Inaddition, my machine comprises novel means for automatically moving theblanks successively into position to be acted upon by the several dieswhich shape. and finish the nuts. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view,with'parts broken away, of a machine constructed in accordance with myinvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view takenfrom the opposite sideof the same machine; Fig. 3 is a side elevational detailview showing thefeedroller control mechanism; Fig. 4 is a front. eleva-. tional view ofthe machine; Fig.5 is a plan view of the bed of the machine showing theseveral sets of dies, the work-feeding mechanism, and a portion of thework-transferring mechanism. Fig. G'is a vertical secplan view of astrip of material to be made into nuts,'showing the first operationsperformed on the bar; Fig. 9 is a plan view of a blank as it. appearsduring the rough punching operation; Fig. 10 is' a similar view of a nutblank as it leaves the lower or trimming die shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 11

is'a i'cragmentary side view, partly in ele- Specificatiou of LettersPatent.

Patented Oct. 11, 19 21.

Application filed Kay 28, 1920. Serial No. 385,008.

vation and partly in section, showing the nut blank of Fig. 10 bein oerated u n b the crowning die and i mniihn Fig. 1; is i diagrammaticside view showing the relation between the roughing and trimming diesand the crowning die, and showing particularly the chute by which nutblanks are conveyed from below the trimming die into position upon thecrowning die. Fig. 13 is a side view of a portion of the chute shown inFig. 11; Fig. 14 is a cross sectional view of the same chute, thesection being taken substantially on the line 14-14, Fig. 13; Fig. 15 isa plan view of the slide which conveys the blanks to the crowning dieand to the finishing die; F ig. 16 is an end elevational view of theconstruction shown in Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is a plan view of the upper slideplate shown in Figs. 15 and 16; and Fig. 18 is a planview of the lowerslide plate shown in Figs- 15 and 16.

Themachine shown in the drawings comprises a suitable frame 2 upon whichis carried a'bed 3 and vertical guides 4.

within which reciprocates a cross-head 6' carrying a punch block 7. Theblock '2' is rovided with a series of punches which 00- operate withdies carried in the bed 3, as will more fully appear below. Power forreciprocating the cross-head 6 is taken from a pulley 8 mounted on ashaft 9 which also 1 carries a pinion 10 meshing with a large gear wheel11, which is mounted on a crank shaft 12 that extends completely acrossthe machine and is journaled in bearings 13. Between the bearings 13,the shaft 12 is provided with a crank 14 connected to the cross-head 6by means of a connecting rod 15.

. As best shown on Fig 5, the bed 3 carries four die blocks 16, 17, 18and 19, the. block 16 carrying the piercing die, the block 17 carrying asuperposedseries of punching, scoring and finishlng dies, the block 18carrying a crowning die and the block 19 carrying a finishing die. Thedie blocks are secured in the bed by any usual or convenient. means,such as the adjusting bolts 20 and set screws 21, shown in Fig. 5.

The detailed construction and operation of the several mechanismscomposing the machine will best be understood by following: a nut blankthrough the several operas tions. The stock is fed to themachine in theform of a strip 25 which is advanced intermittently by means of twoknurled or corrugated feed rollers 26, as shown in Figs.

2, 3 and 4. The feed rollers 26 are given an intermittent feedingmovement by mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The lower feed roller iscarried by a shaft-27 and the upper feed roller is carried by shaft 28,the shafts 27 and 28 being connected to rotate in I unison by means ofmeshing gear wheels 29.

The lower shaft 27 also carries a pinion 30 j which meshes with a pinion31 on. a shaft 32 that also carries a ratchet 33 which is fixed to theshaft. A driving pawl 34 cooperates with the ratchet 33 to drive theshaft 32 and is carried on an iL-shaped rocking plate 35 that is looselymounted on the shaft 32. The plate 35 is provided with a slot 36withinwhich is a screw 37 that is in screw-threaded engagement with a block 37that is pivotally connected to the lower end of a pitman rod 39 whichconnects the rocking plate 35 to an eccentric 40 mounted on the maincrank shaft 12. As the shaft 12 rotates. the pitman 39 is. reciprocatedby I means of the eccentric 40 and rocks the plate 35 through an arewhich is determined by the position of the lower end of the pitman uponthe screw 37. The rocking movement of the plate 35 is transmitted to theshaft 32 through the pawl 34 and the ratchet disk 33,

and the feed rollers 26 are thus rotated intermittently to feed thestock into the mechine.

In order to throw the pawl 34' out of engagement with the ratchet disk33 to stop the feed or to permit adjustment, the-pawl is provided withan extension 41 which is connected by means of links 42 and 43 to levers44 and 45 that are pivotally secured to the plate 35. The link 43 isextended to form an additional pawl engaging ratchet disk 33. The lever44 is provided with a handle 46. When the handle 46 is depressed, thepawl 34 is raised from the ratchet disk 33 and is held in this positionby means of a spring 47. When the pawl is thus disengaged from theratchet disk, the shatt 32 may be turned in; either direction by meansof a hand wheel 48. I

As the stock enters the machine, it passes first through feed rolls, aslotted guide plate 50, and next threugh a'similar guide plate 51, whichalso serves as a stripper plate for best shown in Figs. 5 and 7 wherethe pierc- 'ing die is shown at directly beneath the neeapce p piercingpunch 56, and the first cutting die 57 directly beneath the cuttingpunch 58. The piercing punch punches a circular hole 59 .in the stockand at the same time the roughing punch cuts out from the strip asection of the shape shown in Fig. 7with rounded ends 60 indicated indottedlines and sides that are fiat, or nearly so;

Disposed beneath the roughing die 57 is ascoring die or scrap stockBreaker 61 which isv composed of two opposite chisel-like points 62, asshownin Fig. 6, which serves to score the rounded ends of the blanks sothat when the blank is forced down through the roughing die and shapedinto hexagonal form, the scraps of metal will divide along the linesscored by the stock breaker and will pass out'of the way withoutinterfering with the operation of the dies. Fig. 9 shows the blank asitis being acted upon by the first stock breaker 61 the score marks madeby the stock breaker being indicated'at 66.

Below the first stock breaker 61 is a roughing die 62 which gives theblank a hexagonal shape and below the roughing die .62 is a second stockbreaker 63 which scores the sides of the blank in the same manner andfor the same purpose [as the first stock breaker 61. Immediately belowthe second stock breaker 63 is a trimming die 64 which gives the nutblankv its correct size and shape, as shown at 65, Fig. 10. a The nutblanks are forced downward through the several dies and stock breakersshown in Fig. 5 by the impact of the cutting die 58. each blank beingforced into the next position by the'pressure of theblank which followsit.

The same impulses delivered by the die 58 are utilized to transfer thepartly finished nuts from thetrimming die 64 to the crownmg die 70 Thecrowning die 70 is located on the surface of the bed 3 opposite to thepunching die 55 and in order to convey the nuts from the'trimming die tothe crowning die, ll provide a hexagonal transfer chute, theconstructionand arrangement of which will best be seen byreterenceto"Figs. 11,

12 and 13. Immediately below the trimming,

die 64 is astubular passageway 715 of hexagonal cross section whichcommunicates at its lower end with the transfer chute. This chute ismade up of two parallel bars 72 to which are bolted a series of spacedhexagonalcollars 73, to the inner sides of which tour guide strips 74are attached by means of screws 75. The strips'74 form a guideway' tor'the nuts 65 which force .each other through the chute, which. guide thenuts to their next position upon the bed, where the last nutin thechute. restsupon the feeding arms of a slide'76 in the gelation shown inFig. '2. a

The slide 76 serves ,to take the nuts from the chute 72 and deliversthem successively to the crowning die 70 and the finishing die ,1 77.The construction of this slide may best be seen in Figs. 4, and to 18.As therein shown, the slide consists of a lower plate I bed 3 and isalso provided with a transverse o enin 85 to receive a in 86 by means ofwhich the slide 76 is p'ivotally secured to the upper end of a rockinglever 81 which is pivoted at 88 to a bar 89 carried by the frame 2, asshown in Fig. 3. The lever 81' is reciproeatedby means of power takenfrom the main crank shaft 12 through'connections shown in Figs. 1, 2 and3. The crank shaft carries a bevel gear wheel 90 meshing with a bevelpinion ll-carried at the upper end of an upright shaft 92, the lower endof which carries a bevel pinion 93 meshing with a bevel gear wheel 91secured to the end of a horizontal shaft 95 which also carries a cam 96.A roller 97 bears upon the cam 96, as shown in Fig. 2, and is carried atthe inner end of a reciprocating arm 98 which is piv-' otally attachedat.99 to the rocking lever 87. Springs 100 are attached to the frame andto the lever 87 and coiiperate with the cam 90 to reciprocate the lever81'.

The upper plate 79 ot the slide 76 carries a pair of gripping arms 105which are shown in Figs. 4, 1 1 and 15. The arms 105 are secured to theplate 1'9 by means of screws 106 and are normally held in their parallelor gripping position by means ot a. compression spring 101 which isreceived in recesses near the ends of the-arms 105.

duence of the spring 107 is determined by means of set screws 108 whichextend through lugs 109 that project upwardly from the corners of theplate 79. Each of the arms 105 is provided with an upwardly extendingcam pin 110 and with two workholding shoulders 111 and 112,respectively, which cotiperate to grip and move the nuts from the chute72 to the crowning die 70 and later to the finishing die 77.

A yoke 113 extends over the slide described above, and'is secured to thebed 3 by means of bolts llt and 115. Two plates 110 carrying cam members110 are secured to the under side of the yoke 113 bymeans of bolts 11?,and these cam plates are pivotally movable around the bolts 117, beingnormally pressed by means. oi springs 118 against the sides of adownwardly extending shoulder 119 formed on the under side of the yoke113.

The arms 105 are shown in lull lineson lFig. 15 in the position in whichthe shoul- T he exact position taken by the arms 105 under the inders 111 are holding a nut immediately beneath the discharge end of the chute72 and in which the forward shoulders 112 are gripping a nut on thecrowning die 70. As the slide moves forward, the arms 105 re main in therelative position shown in full lines, and move the two nuts intoposition upon the crowning die and the finishing die 77, respectively.During its forward movement, the cam pins 110 on the gripping armsengage the cam members 116*, but push them to one side against thepressure of the springs 118. When the cam pins 110 pass beyond the cammembers 116, the cam members are again moved out into the path of theins 110 by means of the springs 118; 1

and w en the slide is retracted, the cam members will deflect the pins110, bringing the arms 105 into the diverging position shown in dottedlines on Fig. 15. The gripper arms remain in this position until thepins 110 pass beyond the lower ends of the cam members 116, and duringthis time the next nut from the chute 72. which has been resting uponthe arms 105, falls between these arms and into position to be graspedbetween the shoulders 111 when the arms again approach each other. whichoccurs under the influence of the spring 107 when the pins 110 arereleased bers 116; 1

'When the blank is originally cut ofi' from the bar 25 by the cuttingpunch 58, a small piece 01 metal is left on the bed, as shown at 125,Fig. 5. Also, when the nut pames through the finishing die 71', a smallamount of waste metal is left on the die block. To get rid of thesewaste pieces of metal 1 provide two wiping fingers 126 and 127 which aresecured to an arm 128 that is pivotally attached to the trams of themachine at 120, and is given a quick reciprocation after each stroke ofthe punch-head by means ofa lever-130 shown in Figs. 1 and 5. lever 130is secured to a rod 131, to which is also attached a lever arm 110 thatcarries at its upper end a cam roller 132 which travels upon the perihery ot a circular cam from the cam mem- The 133 secured to the maincrank shaft- 12. The

cam 133 has a. short depression 131. Asthe crank shaft 12 rotates, theroller 132 rides upon the concentric portion of the cam, and

fingers 126 and 127 in the position shown in Fig. 1. When the cam 133rotates to bring the lower end 01 the lever 130 is thus caused to pressagainst the arm 128 and hold the 1 I the depression 134 opposite to theroller 132, I

the roller will enter the depression and the arm 128 will be movedoutwardly under the influence of a leaf spring 135 which is secured tothe frame ot the machine. and

presses against the inner side of the arm 128,

quickly back and forth across the die blocks 17 and 19 and thus removesthe pieces and chips of metal that are left on the die blocks.

pierced by the piercing punch 56 and the pierced end of the bar is thenmoved forward against the stop 52 where it rests above the superposedset of shaping dies. The rough blank is then cut-off by the cuttingpunch 58. The blank then travels downward through the cutting die 57 thefirst stock breaker 61,

the hexagonal roughing die 62, the second stock breaker 63 and thehexagonal trimming die 64 into the tubular passage 71,

- from the lower end of which it enters the chute 72 and is pushed bythe blanks which follow it up and across the machine and upon the arms105 of the feeding slide 76. It is then grasped by the shoulders 111 onthe arms 105 and at the next forward movement of the slide is depositedupon the crowning die 70, where it is acted upon by the crowning punch140 to produce the rounded crown.

While the punch head is descending, the feed slide is moved backward,its arms being moved outward as described above, and then being allowedto come together to grip the nut which is on the crowning die betweenthe shoulders 112 and also to grip the next 7 nut from the chute 72between the shoulders 111. On the next forward movement of the slide,the nut from the crowning die 70 iSr moved forward to thefinishing die 77 and is forced through the finishing die by the fourth and last punchwhich operates upon it. The finishing" die restores the shape of the nutwhich has been somewhat distorted in the crowning operation, and thecompleted nuts, ready for threading, fall through the finishing die intoa suitable receptacle.

lBy properly selecting the dies and punches, the machine may obviouslybe used formaking nuts of various sizes and shapes. It will be observedthat I have provided a machine which operates in an entirely automaticmanner'to make finished nuts from cold strip material, a result which Ibelieve to be new. I have shown and described herein a machine which iswell adapted to carry out my invention, but it is to be understood thatvarious changes in the form and arrangement of' parts may be madewithout de arting from the scope of my invention. I t erefore desirethat no limitations be im posed upon my invention except such as areindicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is: i

1*. A machine for making nuts-comprising a plurality of dies, means forforcing a nut the said blank vertically through one of the said dies andfor automatically transferring the said blanks from the said die toanother of said dies, the latter .die being laterally displaced fromsaid first die, and means for forcing the said blanks vertically throughthe said second die.

2. A machine for making nuts comprising a bed, a plurality of verticallyreciprocable dies disposed side by side on said bed, a punch cooperatingwith one of the said dies, and means for utilizing the force applied bythe said punch to transfer blanks from the said die to another dielaterally displaced from saidfirst die, and means for forcing the saidblanks vertically through the said second die. T

3. A machine for making nuts comprising a frame, v.a horizontal bedsupported in the said frame, a plurality of diescarried by the said bed,.a punch head vertically reciprocable toward and from the said bed, apunch carried by the said punch head and adapted to cooperate with oneof the said dies, and means for utilizing the force applied by the saidpunch to transfer blanks from the said die to another die on said bedand laterally displaced from said first die.

4. A machine for making nuts comprising a piercing die, means forintermittently feeding strip material into position to be pierced by thesaid die, a series of superposed cutting, roughing and trimming dies,scoring means associated with the said superposed dies and punchesadapted to cooperate with piercing die and with the said outting die.

5. A machine for making nuts comprising a piercing die, means forintermittently feeding strip material into position to be pierced by thesaid die, a cutting die, roughing die and trimming die disposed onebelow the other, scoring means interposed between the said cutting androughing dies and between the said roughing and trimming dies, andpunches adapted to cooperate with the said piercing die and with thesaid cutting die.

6. A machine for making nuts comprising a piercing die, means forintermittently feeding strip material into position to be pierced by thesaid die, a cutting die disposed beyond the said piercing die, roughingand trimming dies disposed below the said cutting die, scoring meansinterposed between the said cutting and roughing dies and between thesaid roughing and trimming dies,

a crowning die, means for transferring blanks fromthe said trimming dieto the said crowning die, a finishing die, means for transferring blanksfrom the said crowning die to the said finishing die, and punchescooperating with the said piercing, trimming, crowning and finishingdies.

7. A machine for making nuts comprising a set of dies and punches, andmeans for feeding strip material to the said dies and punches, the saidfeeding means comprising two parallel shafts, gears for Connecting saidshafts to move in unison, a gear wheel secured to one of the saidshafts, a driving gear meshing with said gear wheel, and means forintermittently rotating the said driving gear.

8. A machine for making nuts comprising a frame, a bed carried by thesaid frame, a

plurality of dies disposed on said bed, a vertently rotating the saidfeed rollers comprising a power shaft, a ratchet disk secured thereto, apawl adapted to drive the said ratchet disk, a member carrying said pawlandadapted to oscillate upon the said power shaft, an eccentric carriedby the said crank shaft, and adjustable connections between the btl saideccentric and the said rocking member.

9. A machine for making nuts comprising a plurality of dies disposed oneabove the other, and a single punch for forcing blanks through all ofthe said dies, and means for removing the waste stock from said blanksduring their passage through said set of dies.

10. A machine for making nuts comprising a plurality of dies disposedone above the other. scoring means disposedbetween the said dies, and asingle punch for forcing blanks through all of the said dies and pastthe said scoring means.

ll. A machine for making nuts comprising a bed, a plurality of diescarried by said bed and disposed one above the other, a singlevertically moving punch for forcing blanks through all of the said dies,an additional die on said bed and'laterally displaced from thefirst-mentioned dies, and means for utilizing the force applied by thesaid punch for transferring blanks from the said set of superposed diesto the said additional die.

12. A machine for making nuts compris ing a bed, a cutting die disposedon said bed, roughing and trimming dies associated with said roughingdie, a punch for forcing blanks through all of the said dies, a crowningdie also on said bed and displaced from the first-mentioned dies, andmeans for util ing a bed, cutting, rougg and trimming dies disposed, oneabove, the other insaid d, a single vertically moving punch'for forcingblanks through all of the said dies, crowning and finishing dies on saidbed displaced from the first mentioned dies, means for utilizing theforce applied by the said punch for transferring blanks from the-saidset of superposed dies to the said crowning die, and means fortransferring the blanks from She said crowning die to the said finishing14. A machine for making nuts comprising a plurality of dies, and meansfor moving blanks to one of theysaid dies and for thence transferringthe said blanks to another die, the said moving and transferring meanscomprising a slide, a pair of workengaging-arms carried by the saidslide, each of said arms having a plurality of workengaging means, meansfor causing the said arms to alternately engage and release the saidblanks, and means for reciprocating the. said slide.

15. A machinefor making nuts comprising a plurality of dies, meansfortransfer- I ring blanks from one of said dies to another, the saidtransferring meanscomprising a slide, a pair of work-engaging armscarried by the said slide, means for normally holding the said arms'inwork-engaging position while the said slide is moving the work, andmovable cams for separating the said arms while the said slideis beingretracted, the said cams being engaged and thrust aside by said armswhile moving the said blanks, and being thereafter restored to theiroperative position to engage and support said arms during their returnstroke.

16. A machine for making nuts comprising a plurality of dies, means forpushing blanks from one of the said diesto another, the said pushingmeans comprising a slide, a pair of work-engagingarms pivotally securedto the said slide, a spg for holding the said arms in work-engagingposition while the said slide is being moved to carry work from one dieto the neat, spring pressed cams for causing said arms to diverge whilethe said-slide is being retracted and pins carried by said arms forengaging said cams.

1?. A machine for making nuts comprising a bed, a plurality of diescarried by said bed, means for delivering blanks said bed, and means fortransfers-ing sa d blanks successively to the said dies, the saidtransferring means comprising two sliding arms, each having a pluralityof work-engaging members, pins carried by said arms, cams pivotallymounted adyacent to the path or movement of e said pins. the said camsbeing spring-pressed into the path oi said pins and being deflected bysaid pins when the said arms advance and engaging said its lltl

pins to separate said a on their reverse movement. p v v a 18. A machinefor ma Lon nuts comprisinga a roughing die and a cro ltd ice

for transferring blanks from the said roughing die to chute the saidcrowning die. v 1 9., A machine for making nuts comprising a bed, aplurality of dies carried horizoi'itall side by side on said bed, and aor receiving blanks from one of the said dies and for transferring thesaid blanks said dies.

20; A machine for making nuts comprisinging a vertically reciprocablepunch head,

a piercing punch, a fornning punch, a crown- .ing punch and a finishingpunch, allcarried by the said head, a bed disposed beneath the back tothe same bed adjacentv to another of v meaoea said punches, cutting,roughing and trimming dies dlsposed beneath said forming punch, a chutefor receiving blanks from the said trimming die and for transferringsaid ANDREW WOLFRAM."

Witnesses: V

Rona. D. TOTTEN, JOHN F. WILL.

